The Maltese islands are a well-known Mediterranean destination, appreciated for their sea, climate, and cultural vibrancy. Tourism brings important economic opportunities and supports many livelihoods across the archipelago.

At the same time, Malta is a small and densely populated island system, where the effects of rapid tourism growth are becoming increasingly visible. In 2024 alone, Malta recorded 3.56 million tourist arrivals—an increase of 19.5% compared to the previous year.

This makes it increasingly important to reflect on what sustainable and responsible travel actually means. As Young Friends of the Earth Malta, we want to share a few reflections and simple tools that can help visitors enjoy the islands while reducing harm and showing care for the places they move through.

With over 3 million tourists visiting annually [1], this small island has witnessed unprecedented pressure on its finite resources. The overall picture is concerning: continuous development of luxury resorts is impacting precious coastal habitats; tourist accommodations can consume double or even more water than local residents, worsening Malta’s chronic water scarcity [2]; the waste crisis is deepening, as tourism generates higher levels of waste per capita [3]; and tourism contributes significantly to the island’s total carbon emissions [4].

Recognising these impacts, the European Union introduced eco-certification schemes to foster a more sustainable tourism industry. These certifications are awarded to tourism businesses from small to big scale that meet specific environmental and social standards. They aim to reduce resource consumption, improve waste management, ensure fair working conditions, and help travellers make more informed choices. 

In Malta, the main schemes include the EU Ecolabel, Green Key, and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. These are internationally recognised standards designed to reduce the environmental impact of touristic accommodation. To qualify, businesses must meet strict criteria. For example, certified accommodations are required to  reduce energy use (through efficient lighting, insulation, or renewable energy), conserve water (such as low-flow showers and towel reuse systems), minimise waste (recycling systems and reduced single-use plastics), protect local biodiversity. [5] Obtaining one requires months of documentation, on-site audits by independent inspectors, and ongoing commitment to continuous improvement.

Yet here’s the reality: only 36 hotels hold eco-certifications, which is very low considering the ongoing construction of tourist accommodation [6]. Despite its value, there are practical barriers. Certification costs can be financially prohibitive for small and family-run tourism businesses. The process also requires complex administrative resources that many small operators simply lack [7]. As a result, sustainability risks becoming something only large hotels and resort chains can afford, often the same ones contributing most to coastal overdevelopment.

At the same time, the platforms most tourists rely on to book accommodation that offers “eco-certified” filter also raise serious concerns. Short-term rental platforms like Airbnb have been linked to unlicensed rentals, increased pressure on housing, and additional strain on waste and infrastructure systems. Moreover, a significant share of the revenue generated through these platforms does not remain within the local Maltese economy, but flows to large international actors.[8]

Airbnb and Booking.com have also been listed by the United Nations among companies operating in Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, contributing to economic activity in areas considered illegal under international law [9]. Their role in the ongoing displacement and occupation of Palestinian people raises important ethical questions for conscious travellers.

So how can we avoid overburdening while visiting this island?

Eco-certifications are a useful starting point, but they are not enough. Meaningful change also depends on our individual choices as travellers and from the questions we are willing to ask. Does the money stay within the local community, or does it leave the island? How is water used, on an island where water is already scarce? How much energy does this place consume, and where does it come from? How is waste managed and where does it end up? Are the workers here paid fairly and treated with dignity? Is this accommodation contributing to overdevelopment, especially along the coast?

And ultimately: is my presence here helping, or harming?

As visitors, we also have a voice. We can question, speak up, and demand better, from businesses, platforms, and governments. Stronger policies, better waste management, and fairer working conditions do not happen without pressure.

This also means not looking away. When we come across environmental damage, pollution, or practices that feel misleading or unjust, we can choose to notice, to question, and, when possible, to report it to local authorities or NGOs.

Malta is not just a destination to be consumed and left behind, it is a place with limits, with communities, and with a future at stake.

The question is not only where we stay,  but what kind of impact you choose to have.

– Gaia Gurrieri, YFOEM

Disclaimer: This campaign was created to raise awareness among tourists about our impact on the island. Malta is often advertised as a party destination, but it is also and especially a unique and fragile place, rich in natural beauty and facing serious challenges related to climate change and resource scarcity. 

This article is part of the Tourist Tips for a Tired Island: the campaign on sustainable tourism carried out entirely on a voluntary basis by the youth group Young Friends of the Earth Malta. Check our social media posts here 

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Sources:

[1] Malta Tourism Authority – Inbound Tourism: 2025
[2] Eman Mangion – Occasional Papers on Islands and Small States Tourism Impact on Water Consumption in Malta 2013
[3] Malta NSO – Municipal Waste: 2024
[4] OECD Tourism Papers – Strengthening the evidence base for a sustainable tourism future in Malta 2025/01
[5] Green Key – Unlocking sustainability in the hospitality industry 2026-2031
[6] European Commission – The green transition of tourism 
[7] Malta Tourism Authority – Eco-Certification
[8] Amphora – https://www.amphora.media/2025/10/short-lets-tourist-rentals-malta-airbnb
[9] Al Jazeera – UN report lists companies complicit in Israel’s ‘genocide’: Who are they?